Love letters touch a person’s heart; the emotional vulnerability on paper is unmatched
If you are in a couple, no matter how long you’ve been dating or married, Valentine’s Day shopping can be intimidating. It’s particularly difficult shopping for a man. We typically don’t want gifts because it’s our nature to be givers and creators of tangible happiness. Additionally, men tend to like practical gifts; Valentine’s Day is not a practical holiday.
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The best Valentine’s Day gift you can give a man is one he’ll never expect. A gift that is practical, thoughtful, and heartfelt. If a picture is worth a thousand words, what about actual words that paint a picture of your love?
Love letters are your words only, and for your love only.
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Love letters open the door to creativity
“You are the perfect verse over a tight beat,” is a memorable line from the movie Brown Sugar (2002) and one of the smoothest ways I’ve ever heard someone say “I love you.
Penning a love letter is not just an exercise in the English language. You remove yourself from the copycat, competitive nature of social media and technology. Rather, love letters force you to explore more imaginative ways of communicating your feelings. Love letters are your words only, and for your love only.
Love letters involve a deep emotional investment
Before the Christmas holiday, the pastor’s wife at my old church passed away. At her memorial, we viewed a slideshow of their courtship. Collectively, they had written nearly 600 love letters while in colleges hundreds of miles apart. They wrote about their hopes, plans, and the bond they were building—before ever meeting. It was remarkable. These letters are now on display at the Houston Digital Archives, Lawson Collection.
The act of writing takes time. The care you put into composing your thoughts and putting them on paper is a direct reflection of how important a person is to you. And, there’s something innately beautiful about seeing someone’s feelings spelled out in permanent ink.
A love letter is one-of-a-kind gift
You can find the perfect card or buy the most expensive gift money will allow, but someone, somewhere will buy the same thing for their Valentine. A love letter is truly personal. Recount memories and moments of your shared experiences, because it’s your energy and your effort, it will have value forever.
A love letter is truly personal.
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There is no right or wrong way to write a love letter. Your words and their delivery are not the primary focus nor is there an expectation for a desired outcome. In this context, I’m talking about putting pen to paper. If you’re more inclined to type a letter, the effect is the same. Your significant other sees, in your own words, that they are worthy of your undivided attention. The gesture is so rare there is no acceptable blueprint. What matters is that your love letter communicate how you feel.
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So how do you start a love letter? One, don’t over-think or over-analyze. Begin by writing about what makes your significant other so precious. Compliments are the perfect lead-in, and your words should be both sentimental and specific. Love letters are about authenticity. Of course, you can also talk about the future you desire with this person.
One of my goals for 2016 is to write someone a love letter. I want to be so smitten that I’d risk a hand cramp. I know writing a love letter isn’t easy, but with the right inspiration, the words will just flow. This Valentine’s Day is the opportunity to take love back to the old-fashioned days. Why not give it a try?
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Also by James Woodruff: A Man’s Kiss Tells You Everything
Photo Credit: Getty Images